Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday engaged in separate discussions with the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in Moscow, setting the stage for Saturday's Victory Day celebrations. According to Anadolu Agency, the Kremlin released statements indicating Putin's warm reception of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Their visit coincides with the preparations for Victory Day, commemorated annually on May 9 in Russia and several former Soviet states to honor the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II, a conflict referred to in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. The celebrations will feature the traditional military parade in Moscow's Red Square, a key highlight of the occasion. While a Kremlin announcement on Thursday had confirmed Lukashenko's participation, the inclusion of Tokayev and Mirziyoyev was only made public by their respective presidential media services earlier on Fri day. This gathering underscores the significance of Victory Day for Russia and its neighboring allies, reinforcing historical ties amid ongoing geopolitical dynamics.